Sports And Fitness

Asthma and Exercise (Care of the Young Athlete)

Almost every child (and adult) with asthma can
benefit from sports and physical activity. Also, asthma should not prevent young
athletes from enjoying a full athletic career. The following is information from
the American Academy of Pediatrics about asthma and exercise.

Dance is an artistic, athletic, expressive, and
social form of physical activity that appeals to a wide variety of individuals.
The physical aspects of dance can be both a valuable source of exercise as well
as a cause of injury. For young people who take dance classes, have formal
training in dance, or perform as dancers, they typically do so in one of the
following dance disciplines: ballet, jazz, modern, tap, hip hop, Irish, or
lyrical.

Baseball and softball are extremely popular
among America's youth. Injuries are common because of the large number of
athletes participating. While most injuries are acute, there are specific
overuse injuries that commonly affect young ball players. Most of these injuries
can be prevented.

Biking is a fun way for children of all ages to
get active and stay fit. Most children learn to ride a tricycle at around 3
years of age. Between 4 and 7 years of age most children learn to ride a bike.
However, remember that each child is different and will learn to ride a bike at
his or her own pace.

Burners and stingers are intense pains that
occur when the nerves that run from the neck to the arm are stretched or
compressed. This typically occurs in contact or collision sports where the
shoulder may be pushed backward or the head and neck is forcibly pushed to the
side. Burners are most common in football players but are also common in those
who participate in hockey, wrestling, lacrosse, and diving. The term burner will be used in this handout to refer to both
burners and stingers.

A MINUTE FOR KIDS: Children with exercise induced asthma (EIA) should take special precautions in order to exercise safely. These children should warm up slowly and pace themselves. Teach your children to monitor their symptoms in order to better know their limits.

Exercise-related heat illness (ERHI) or
"heat injury" happens when exercise is done in high temperature
and high humidity. It's one type of injury, unlike sports injuries caused
by contact, that can almost always be prevented with proper attention to safety
and common sense.

A MINUTE FOR KIDS: Many sports-related eye injuries occur in children under the age of 15. Eye protectors can significantly cut down the risk of a sports-related eye injury and should be worn whenever possible.

Football is a fast-paced, aggressive, contact
team sport that is very popular among America's youth. Football programs
exist for players as young as 6 years all the way through high school, college,
and professional.

Gymnastics is a sport of flexibility and agility
that includes 4 forms: artistic, rhythmic, acrobatic, and tumbling and
trampoline. Each form has its unique physical demands and specific injury risks;
however, all forms include jumping and back arching and rotating movements.

Horseback riding (equestrian) is a common
activity in the United States; about 30 million people go horseback riding every
year. Unlike other sports, the risk of injury is highest for the most
inexperienced riders. As riders gain experience, they learn how to avoid injury
as they learn to properly handle the horse.

Over the past 20 years more children are
partici­ pating in organized and recreational athletics. With so many
young athletes playing sports, it's no wonder injuries are common. Half
of all sports medicine injuries in children and teens are from overuse. The
following is information from the American Academy of Pediatrics about overuse
injuries and injury prevention tips.

Sports readiness means that a child has the
physical, mental, and social skills to meet the demands of the sport. While
general guidelines can help you select a sport based on age, it's
important to remember that children develop at different rates. Children are
more likely to enjoy and succeed in sports when they have the physical, mental,
and social skills required by the sport.

Lacrosse is one of the fastest-growing sports in
the United States. It's both a contact (boys) and noncontact (girls)
sport. Injuries differ between the contact game of boys' lacrosse (body
contact and stick checking allowed) and the noncontact game of girls'
lacrosse.

More than 6 million children in the United
States participate in martial arts. Martial arts are known to improve social
skills, discipline, and respect in children. Children can also improve their
abilities to concentrate and focus on activities, as well as bettering their
motor skills and self-confidence. Martial arts can be fun and beneficial at any
age.

Young athletes often try special diets and
supplements to improve their athletic performance. However, many of these
products do not live up to their claims to increase strength, speed, and
athletic skills. Athletes should focus instead on following the basics of proper
hydration and nutrition. Both are crucial in supporting growth and athletic
performance. The following is information from the American Academy of
Pediatrics about proper nutrition and supplement use.

Orthotics are shoe inserts that are designed to
provide cushioning, support, stability, and/or relief to pressure areas of the
foot. They can be soft, semi-rigid, accommodative, or rigid; they can be
custom-made from a mold or impression of the foot or bought by size "off
the shelf."

Osgood-Schlatter is a common condition in young
athletes that refers to irritation of a growth plate at the knee. It typically
occurs in active teens during their growth spurt and resolves after the bone
stops growing.

A MINUTE FOR KIDS: Exercise is good for your child, but too much exercise can become a strain on their body. If your child ever begins to feel pain while exercising, they should stop their activity immediately rather than work through the pain.

Patellofemoral pain syndrome is one of the most
common causes of knee pain in young athletes. The condition is an overuse injury
that results from activities that cause pressure or friction on the cartilage
behind the kneecap. Patellofemoral pain syndrome occurs frequently in athletes
who participate in sports that involve running, jumping, or squatting.

The most effective way young athletes can
improve their sports performance is to pay close attention to the basics:
fluids, calories, training, conditioning, and rest. Shortcuts, such as the use
of performance-enhancing substances and supplements, are of little benefit and
are potentially damaging to young athletes.

Physical activity is important for everyone in
the family. The following is information from the American Academy of Pediatrics
summarizing the FITT method and includes general fitness tips and an activity
log.

There are many benefits of regular physical
activity; however, people often have many excuses for not being more physically
active. The following is information from the American Academy of Pediatrics
encouraging families to consider all the benefits of being physically active and
how to overcome some obstacles. Each family member can take a step toward
becoming more physically active by filling out the physical activity plan.

A MINUTE FOR KIDS: Softball and baseball can be healthy and enjoyable pasttimes for many children, but doctors treat thousands of cases of softball- and baseball-related injuries each year. Certain preventative measures can be taken to decrease the risk of these injuries.

Rowing is a lifelong, year-round sport that
requires dedication and intense training. Rowing on the water, an ergometer, and
indoor water tanks along with weight training and running are integral parts of
training. In high school and college this sport is also called crew.

Many athletes actively seek changes in body
weight in hopes of improving athletic performance. In some sports, such as
wrestling, gymnastics, dancing, and running, athletes and coaches associate
optimal performance with a relatively low body mass. In other sports,
particularly contact and collision sports, such as football, increased body mass
is often encouraged.

The calcaneal apophysis is a growth center where
the Achilles tendon and the plantar fascia attach to the heel. It first appears
in children aged 7 to 8 years. By ages 12 to 14 years the growth center matures
and fuses to the heel bone.

Shin pain occurs most frequently in athletes
involved in running, jumping, or high-impact sports. Shin pain can be caused by
shin splints (also called medial tibial stress syndrome), a
stress fracture of the tibia or fibula, or compartment syndrome (Figure 1). The
most common source of shin pain in runners is shin splints.

Shoulder impingement is an overuse injury that
causes achy pain on the front or side of the shoulder. The pain is felt most
when the arm is overhead or extended to the side. Shoulder impingement also is
called rotator cuff tendonitis, subacromial impingement, supraspinatus
tendonitis, and shoulder bursitis.

Although skateboarding and in-line skating were
once considered extreme sports, they are now both very common activities for
children. Skateboarding and in-line skating involve street skating (using public
areas such as sidewalks, steps, handrails, and curbs) or skate parks designed
specifically for these sports.

As winter sports are gaining in popularity,
young children are hitting the slopes to learn skiing and snowboarding. However,
not every young child may be prepared for the experience. Your child's
age, strength, and ability to cooperate are a few factors to consider. Qualified
instructors can often help parents determine if their child is ready for these
sports. Most resorts begin ski school at 4 years old. Although snowboards are
made for children as young as 4 years, some resorts will not teach snowboarding
to children younger than 7 years.

Most skin conditions do not affect sports
participation. As a general rule, young people with skin conditions should be
allowed to participate in sports as long as there is no risk of blood or body
fluid coming into contact with other athletes. Skin conditions that may affect
participation can be divided into temporary and long-term conditions.

Soccer (known as football outside the United
States) is one of the most popular team sports in the world. Soccer also can be
a way to encourage children to be physically active while they learn about
teamwork and sportsmanship.

Whether on a court, in a pool, on a field, or in a gym, more children than ever are competing in sports. Sports help boys and girls keep their bodies fit and feel good about themselves. However, there are some important issues that parents need to be aware of if their children participate in organized sports.

Athletes may deal with many different types of
medical personnel after an injury. Athletes also may be referred by their
primary care doctors to a sports medicine doctor or other sports medicine
specialists for further evaluation and treatment. The following is information
from the American Academy of Pediatrics about the most common sports medicine
specialists.

Strength training (or resistance training) uses
a resistance to increase an individual's ability to exert force. It
involves the use of weight machines, free weights, bands or tubing, or the
individual's own body weight. This is not the same as Olympic lifting,
power lifting, or body building, which requires the use of ballistic movements
and maximum lifts and is not recommended for children.

Stress fracture (also called a fatigue fracture)
is a weakening or thin crack in a bone caused by repetitive stress on the bone.
A stress fracture is an overuse injury. It is different from a fracture that
occurs after a traumatic event, such as a fall. Stress fractures are more common
in endurance athletes or athletes who perform repetitive, high-impact
activities.

Female athlete triad refers to the
combination of 3 medical conditions—eating problems, menstrual problems, and
weak bones—seen in competitive female athletes. Prevention of the female
athlete triad is important because it can interfere with normal growth and
development, cause injury, and result in loss of strength and endurance.

There is often more than one way to effectively
treat an injury. Treatment programs are always adjusted to meet the individual
needs of the athlete and the unique requirements of the athlete's sport
or activity.

The primary use of medicines in sports is to
treat pain and inflammation. Athletes may also take medicines to treat specific
medical conditions, such as asthma or diabetes, or to treat common illnesses,
like colds, congestion, cough, allergies, diarrhea, and skin infections.

Water polo is an intense sport that requires
athletes to tread water and swim for long periods. There is a version for
younger athletes that allows them to stand in shallow water or hang onto the
side of the pool, but this is illegal in competitive water polo.

When is an Athlete Ready to Return to Play? (Care of the Young
Athlete)

One of the first questions an athlete will ask
following injury or illness is, "When can I play again?" The
answer is rarely quick or simple. Return-to-play decisions can be controversial
and a source of conflict between health care providers and others.
Return-to-play decisions that are too strict, too lenient, or too arbitrary can
lead to unhealthy and unsatisfactory outcomes.

A safe and speedy return to activity following a
sports injury or an illness depends on early recognition and treatment. Knowing
when to see your doctor is an important step in this process. With major
injuries or illnesses, there is little doubt about the need to seek medical
attention. However, it is much more difficult to know when to seek help if there
is no obvious trauma or if the symptoms don’t get in the way of playing.
Many overuse injuries, such as tendonitis or stress fractures, happen over time
and often have subtle symptoms. The result can be a delay in diagnosis and
treatment, and delays can lead to a more serious or disabling injury.

Wrestling is the oldest known sport, dating back
to prehistoric times. Today it's the fourth most common sport in which
athletes from different schools compete against each other. There are more than
50 kinds of wrestling. The most common types include folkstyle, freestyle,
Greco-Roman, sumo, and professional.